Adhesive



Patented Dec. 8,.1925.

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM-R. LONG, 01' ST. LOUIS. MISSOURI.

Anna-sum.

No Drawing. Original application filed Septembef 24, 1924, Serial No. 739,707. Divided and this appli- 5 cation flIed-I'ebruary-QQ, 1925.' Serial No. 12,451.

of the acid solution should be used, but 55 where a lower pressure 'is desired, that is from two to five pounds, the mixturemay be used as indicated. Before the converter is openedthe pressure shouldbe reduced to To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that WILLIAM R. Lone, a citizen of the .United States ofv America, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, has 5 invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Adhesives, of which the following is a specification.

This is-a divisional ap lication divided out of applicants application'for glue, filed September 24, 1924, Serial No. 739,707. The object of my inventionis to produce an adhesive that is practically odorless, and a method of manufacturing it which will be inexpensive and which can be prepared quickly without the ordinary cooking and which will remain in a thin liquid state ready for use for a reasonable time and will not jell.

This product is produced principally for tion of fibre and corrugated shipping cases, and also for sealing the cases or cartons after they have been packed with merchandise. The product may also be used for gluing other substances. My method of manufacturing consists in converting cornstarch into suitable gum to behereinafter described, by means of an acid and the application of heat. My method of converting the cornstarch into gum is as follows. To 100 pounds of cornstarch I add 5% pints of a hydrochloric solution composed of 13 commercial hydrochloric acid and 86 of water. This product is placed on a fioor or in a bin or other suitable container where it is permitted to remain for a period varying from twenty-four to forty-eight hours. I This is done to permit the acid solution to thoroughl permeate the starch which puts the startc in a more suitable condition for conversion. The product is then placed in a converter of suitable size in such quantities as desired. This converter preferably comprises an air tight receptacle and a means of applying heat either directly or indirectly through a jacket. .The mixing apparatus is operatively secured in the converter and the atter is supplied with a steam gage. The steam gage is, necessary because when heat is applied pressure develops from. the moisture contained in the starch. The mixture is agitated bymeans of the mixing apparatus while subject to heat. If a pressure of fifty pounds is reached or desired, less method of I luin a er such as is used 1n the re araf a g p P P converted in a bath of steam.

atmosphere by p steam throug a small steam valve attached to the converter, and the application of heat discontinued. The gum produced by this method'willbe found to be more economical than an more amount of borax varying from ten to fifteen percent, and cooked in the pro er propormany purposes. of

a pressure verter simply by permitting the cam in the converter to remain so that the roductis complished by allowing the valve to be opened sufliciently for the escape of suflicient steam to prevent a ressure above atmoshours.

In order to test the product to see if it is finished, about one ortwo ounces are taken Y from the converter and about 12% of borax added in order to emulsifv it. then made of this with ve A solution is ermitting the escape of the other method I have tried and it is exible and if emulsified with an A slightly inferior grade lue may be producedwithout having above atmosphere inthe conparts of water 9 and quickly cooked over, a gas flame; ii the 7 product is finished, a thin syrupysubstance will result. This method of testing has proven more reliable than chemical or 96 gravity tests.

'- 7 To this converted cornstarch a suflicient amount of soda ,ashis added to neutralize the acid and the product removed from the converter and spread on a granitoid floor to a C thickness of om three to four inches and permitted to cool. The resulting product is what I call gum.

When this gum is thoroughly cooled it is placed in a mixing machine and 8% of caustic soda by weight is added and 4% of ganulated or powdered borax."

This is mixed for a few minutes until the chemicals are thoroughly incorporated in .the

gum. When this point is rea ed,itwil1besuch lumps are not readily soluble. When this compound is mixed at t e rate of two pounds to three quarts of arm or hot water, it produces a thin glue like solution which flows freely and is easily applied, and can be spread thinly with a hand brush on the flats of fibre shlpping cases, and which will seal such shipping cases in less than sixty seconds. This is believed to be the most economical glue agent yet produced for the work for which it is recommended. The conventional gluing agent used for fibre board at the present time is sodium silicate. This weighs approximately twelve ounds to'the gallon, while my product weig s less than nine pounds and will cover 30% more surface to the gallon than sodium silicate.

What I claim and wish tosecure by Letters Patent is,

1. A method of treating cornstarch which consists in addin hydrochloric acid and wa-.

ter to cornstarc and permitting it to remain thus for a period ranging between twenty-four and forty-eight hours, then placing it in a converter in which it is agitated, subjected to heat and to steam pressure.

2. A method of making gum which consists in adding 5% pints of a solution of hydrochloric acid containing 86 water and 13 commercial hydrochloric acid and 100 pounds of cornstarch, and permitting it to stand for a period of timeranging between twenty-four and forty-eight hours, then placing'it in a converter where it is agitated, and subjected to heat and steam pressure, and neutralizing the acid with soda ash, and cooling the same in any suitable manner.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM R. LONG. 

